On the same topic, Chris Mannix drops the following. I particularly love the quote on Austin Daye.

"These trades are absolutely terrible," says a Western Conference scout. "Gay is a young star. He has been used as Memphis' third option this season. They hardly ran any plays for him. Prince has been finished for two years. Speights complimented [Marc] Gasol and [Zach] Randolph, which Davis doesn't. And Daye can't play dead."

Across the NBA, league execs expressed surprise at the timing of the deals, too. Memphis could have waited to trade Gay and Speights until the offseason, unloading them before the punitive luxury tax penalties kicked in. The Cavaliers were always going to be there, always going to be willing to absorb some salary if Memphis shipped a first-round pick to sweeten the pot. Yet the Grizzlies were determined to hold a fire sale, hell bent to break up the roster right away, which is why Gay and Speights are gone, why $12 million has been shaved off this season's payroll and $37 million in future obligations is gone, too.

"They were telling everyone they wanted a young 3 on a rookie deal," said an Eastern Conference executive. "They didn't get that. I'm shocked they didn't demand Terrence Ross."

That's for sure. Woj gets good tips but his writing has officially worn out its welcome with me. I mean I've hated it for a while but at this point he's the worst writer in sports I think. So sensationalist.

Anyways, I think the point is interesting. But what I would say to counter is that the market may just correct itself. At the same time as the clamps on salaries are being put on, players will not suddenly want to go to smaller markets or not try to team up with talent to win titles. In reality, the era of "superfriends" may not be over at all, just everyone but the superstars will get paid less. The market will adjust.

Smaller markets could go and try to pay these players more to lure them in, but for some players, like Gay, you are basically making a stupid move and settling for mediocrity.

It's also important with a player like Gay to acknowledge that he is part of the last line of contracts, like Joe Johnson that were set up in the old financial period and through transition are having to deal with the new realities. In the future this will change. I imagine a player like Gay just won't get paid like that in a couple years.

On the same topic, Chris Mannix drops the following. I particularly love the quote on Austin Daye.

"These trades are absolutely terrible," says a Western Conference scout. "Gay is a young star. He has been used as Memphis' third option this season. They hardly ran any plays for him. Prince has been finished for two years. Speights complimented [Marc] Gasol and [Zach] Randolph, which Davis doesn't. And Daye can't play dead."

Across the NBA, league execs expressed surprise at the timing of the deals, too. Memphis could have waited to trade Gay and Speights until the offseason, unloading them before the punitive luxury tax penalties kicked in. The Cavaliers were always going to be there, always going to be willing to absorb some salary if Memphis shipped a first-round pick to sweeten the pot. Yet the Grizzlies were determined to hold a fire sale, hell bent to break up the roster right away, which is why Gay and Speights are gone, why $12 million has been shaved off this season's payroll and $37 million in future obligations is gone, too.

"They were telling everyone they wanted a young 3 on a rookie deal," said an Eastern Conference executive. "They didn't get that. I'm shocked they didn't demand Terrence Ross."

On the same topic, Chris Mannix drops the following. I particularly love the quote on Austin Daye.

"These trades are absolutely terrible," says a Western Conference scout. "Gay is a young star. He has been used as Memphis' third option this season. They hardly ran any plays for him. Prince has been finished for two years. Speights complimented [Marc] Gasol and [Zach] Randolph, which Davis doesn't. And Daye can't play dead."

Across the NBA, league execs expressed surprise at the timing of the deals, too. Memphis could have waited to trade Gay and Speights until the offseason, unloading them before the punitive luxury tax penalties kicked in. The Cavaliers were always going to be there, always going to be willing to absorb some salary if Memphis shipped a first-round pick to sweeten the pot. Yet the Grizzlies were determined to hold a fire sale, hell bent to break up the roster right away, which is why Gay and Speights are gone, why $12 million has been shaved off this season's payroll and $37 million in future obligations is gone, too.

"They were telling everyone they wanted a young 3 on a rookie deal," said an Eastern Conference executive. "They didn't get that. I'm shocked they didn't demand Terrence Ross."

Can't take seriously someone who can't spell "complement" correctly.

"And Daye can't play dead." -- what does that even mean?!

Yes, it's a knee-jerk reaction.

Maybe he meant that Maresse Speights' primary role on the team was to tell Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph how great they are.

On the same topic, Chris Mannix drops the following. I particularly love the quote on Austin Daye.

"These trades are absolutely terrible," says a Western Conference scout. "Gay is a young star. He has been used as Memphis' third option this season. They hardly ran any plays for him. Prince has been finished for two years. Speights complimented [Marc] Gasol and [Zach] Randolph, which Davis doesn't. And Daye can't play dead."

Across the NBA, league execs expressed surprise at the timing of the deals, too. Memphis could have waited to trade Gay and Speights until the offseason, unloading them before the punitive luxury tax penalties kicked in. The Cavaliers were always going to be there, always going to be willing to absorb some salary if Memphis shipped a first-round pick to sweeten the pot. Yet the Grizzlies were determined to hold a fire sale, hell bent to break up the roster right away, which is why Gay and Speights are gone, why $12 million has been shaved off this season's payroll and $37 million in future obligations is gone, too.

"They were telling everyone they wanted a young 3 on a rookie deal," said an Eastern Conference executive. "They didn't get that. I'm shocked they didn't demand Terrence Ross."

Can't take seriously someone who can't spell "complement" correctly.

"And Daye can't play dead." -- what does that even mean?!

Yes, it's a knee-jerk reaction.

Maybe he meant that Maresse Speights' primary role on the team was to tell Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph how great they are.

It must be that, because in terms of on-court contribution, he was decidedly replaceable.

Sorry I was just making an inference because Woj came off as petty in taking his shot against Hollinger.

Ah okay, makes sense I just thought I might have missed that.

Woj has been coming across as a very petty columnist for a while now. (LBJ hate-fest of his lasted for about two years after all)

It's the sort of details I want to read about, so if he is petty then I am glad he is. Maybe feeling that way gives him more incentive to find out actual details instead of lazily making up trade rumors like he's writing sports fanfic.

Logged

"The worst thing that ever happened in sports was sports radio, and the internet is sports radio on steroids with lower IQs.” -- Brian Burke, former Toronto Maple Leafs senior adviser, at the 2013 MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference

Ultimately the new Tax only allows a handful of teams, that can get these incredibly rich tv deals, to be able to 1) make a profit, 2)fill out an adequate roster, and 3) have three max guys.

Small market teams like OKC and Memphis will never get TV deals like the Knicks and Lakers so they can't afford three max guys.

But the Laker and Knicks can have three max guys, fill the roster with some MLE level deals, and still make a lot of money.

If anything this new tax hurts the mid-markets even more because no one will dare mess with the luxury tax unless your a major market team.

Side note* Lebron James brings in so much revenue to whatever team he plays for that his team as long as he is still in demand could afford three max. level guys. He is basically the reason the Heat just got a fat tv contract. If not for his presence it likely doesn't happen, but it did, and the Heat will make a lot of money because of it.